Sunday April 27th was Opening Day on the Bay...It was a warm, breezy and crowded afternoon at Coyote Pt. with swimmers and beachgoers lining every inch of available "sand."
The new sandbag ramp is a hit with everyone and it attracted an overflow crowd of people just trying to get close to the water.
Unfortunately someone from the concession area (see Jane's clarification below) decided to launch a beginner kiter and have him drag thru the swimming area while the instructor followed carring the student's board. A third kiter, after being warned by the ranger to stay out of the swimming area, launched from the same spot and proceeded to short tack upwind flying his kite just a few feet over a crowd of about 20 people who were standing at the sandbag ramp. After a few minutes the third kiter returned to the beach and attempted to land his kite over people wading in the water. Fortunately local kiter SNix (who had just done a safe water landing upwind and away from the swim area) went to his aid and directed the landing away from the waders.
It's obvious that the kiters launching from the concession area showed no regard for the safety of other park users and no regard for the posted rules of the Park. If kiting is banned at Coyote it will be because they refuse to follow the posted rules, standard safety practices and local kite etiquette that has until now been observed by other kiters at Coyote Pt.
Jane sent this email:
"Those were not our students. Not sure where you are getting your facts.
We don’t teach water lessons at coyote beach. It’s not safe for beginners. Also, kiting and windsurfing is banned from the swim area...and we tell all our windsurf renters and students that.
Please don’t make accusations without asking questions.
Jane"
I replied:
"If the lesson wasn't from your school than I'll retract that portion of the post. It was very obvious that one kiter was instructing another and they rigged and launched from the beach in front of the concession going directly through the swim area.
Minutes later I personally saw the third kiter (blue kite) as he came from the concession buildings with the guy who helped launch his kite. That assistant returned to the concession building shortly thereafter. Approximately 30 minutes after that, a male windsurfer coming from the concession building proceeded to use the swimming area as if it were a sailing zone, not just attempting to get to the wind line, but sailing exclusively in the swim area. He was on a Hot Sail (blue and white), couldn't tell you what kind of board, couldn't tell you if he was an employee or a renter but I can tell you he came directly from the concession building and was not a floundering beginner.
From all appearances, someone's not getting the message about no kiting or windsurfing in the swimming area and the people who are doing it seem to be centered at the concession. This is firsthand observation.
mo"
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Michael Lazzaro...a young Coyote Point windsurfer, wrote an article for his high school Social Justice project that explores the recent sewage spills from The Burlingame treatment facility. Please read it here...
The temporary sandbag ramps have been installed...and the center rigging area is being refurbished with a heavy layer of pea gravel. Check out what your donations have accomplished. Pics of the progress here....
The JP Raffle...and the Winner is...
David, Pam, Rebecca and Kipps drawing the winning tickets for the JP Raffle
1st Prize: Bill Martinson, winner of the JPSlalom board 2nd Prize: Michael Fowler, winner of the Naish Vantage sail
3rd Prize: Jason Henry, winner of the Hot Sails Kids Micro Sail & Rig
4th Prize: Serge Degrandpre, winner of a Hot Sails Seat Harness
5th Prize: Michael Fowler, winner of a Hot Sails Waist Harness
Congratulations to all and thanks for donating to such a worthy cause!
April 19th at Coyote...
Like the graph says...it blew at Coyote and it was colder than it's been in weeks. Still, a few hardy windsurfers enjoyed the chocolate water and gusts from hell.
April 15th...latest news from the San Mateo County Parks Department...work on the temporary sandbag ramps is tentatively scheduled to begin tomorrow, April 16th and last 2 weeks. Sale of raffle tickets has boosted the fund raising enough to get the project underway. There's still time to buy a ticket and get a chance to win a JP board, a sail or any number of other prizes. All this and a new ramp to the water! Thanks to all who donated!
Enter the JP Raffle! To sweeten the deal the SFBA is holding a raffle for a really cool JP Slalom III board generously donated by Adventure Sports Inc., the North American distributor for JP Australia, Neil Pryde Waterwear, NPX Waterwear and Cabrinha Kiteboarding.
The Brothers Poor...
Tyson and Whit put on an impromptu freestyle exhibition at 3rd ave. Although the winds were marginal to good, all who were fortunate to be there were impressed by their skills. Mark P, you should have been there.
Pics here...
March 19th...Ms. Shirin Z... took some time out of her very busy schedule to share these shots from her annual winter vacation in Margarita where she partied like a rock star and played from dawn (well, more likely noon) to dawn.
More fortunate than many there, she was spared from the dreaded Margarita trotts that had others tethered to the porcelain pew.
Kiteboarders beware...Ms. Shirin has joined your ranks! 3rd. Ave. will never be the same...in a good way!
Meanwhile...we poor schmucks were mired in mud at the home base.
March 9th...ok kids, here's the deal... The San Mateo County Park and Rec Commission approved plans for a future beachfront renovation for Coyote Point. This is a good thing! With luck it'll be finished in 4 years.
Local windsurfers asked for help to protect safe water access until the project is complete. The County concurs but doesn't have money to support our special interest. An interim solution of temporary sandbag ramps was agreed upon, plans and permits have been approved...but here's the hitch...
We need to pony up for the final $10,000 of the $35,00 project.
The San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation is a major benefactor to our cause to the tune of $25,000. It's up to us to do the rest! All the details are here.
You can be a Coyote Point Sandbagger too!
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Notice of meeting...
The San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Commission will be meeting on Thursday, March 6th at 2:30 p.m. to review and approve the preferred repair alternative for the Coyote Point Recreation Area Promenade.
The meeting is open to the public and all interested parties are encouraged to attend. Please show up and support this plan to fix the windsurf beach access at Coyote.
Board of Supervisors' Chambers
400 County Center,
Redwood City
From the SFBA site:
The San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation has provided a grant to the San Mateo County Department of Parks to study the hydrological conditions that led to the erosion and design a new trail for the park. The study is complete and a design that includes allowing a more natural shoreline and placing the new trail further upland is proposed. The path will still be adjacent to the shoreline and provide access to the beach and Bay. This permanent repair is a few years off because it needs permits and is anticipated to cost at least $1 million.
However, permits were recently granted for a temporary access and can begin this spring, if we raise the remaining $10,000 to cover the costs of this much needed project. $25,000 has already been raised.
The SFBA has created a $1,000 matching fund for the Temporary Repairs at Coyote Point. Please check out the special donations page
Or, you can donate directly to the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation, and specify this project for your donation from their donation page ... remember to specify the Coyote project.
Please join us by donating what you can to support this important repair project.
The weekend of March 01 and 02...I can't even think about hitting the water until March. I picture windsurfing as a warm water, warm wind, zen kinda' thang. March 1st was all of that and then some.
Feb 3rd, Super Bowl Sunday...got a note from Sergey M about his adventure at Coyote.
"Hi Mo,
Still cannot get a life, sailed 5.8 on 93l today at Coyote :P
Waterstarting, stumbled on a floating underwater Flying Dutchman rig and
brought it to shore, so that nobody would snag it at speed.
My phone camera sucks, but it looked so magnificently gross, I cannot
resist sending it to you :)
(click on any pic to see a larger image)
Looks like somebody had a u-joint failure and ditched a rig, quite some
time ago."
I told Sergey about a post on iWindsurf from last season. Hope the owner and sail get reunited. Well...maybe not! :)
January 10...East Coast on-site correspondent, Olivier Corvez reports that the season never ends on Cape Cod and shares a link to the proof.
"Some are still having fun around here... 5 degrees last week.... 65 degrees yesterday... hope your hair still hold up with the current CA winds..."
Thanks Oli. We're waiting to welcome you back home.
January 5...According to various local news sources the "storm of the century" is upon us. While waiting for normal winds to return to the Bay Area...a little warm water SUP looks like fun.
Get up. Stand up.
If you're not put off by cold water or wind, HMB might be for you! Here's a video from Sergey to ring in the new year.
